Book Beat Babes

Saturday, August 29, 2015

The old adage write what you know and love is true, at least
for me-but you should also learn while you write. It adds an additional
dimension to the stories. A sense of wonder and discovery both for the reader
and the writer.

I love to travel and have been fortunate to be able to visit
the places I write about.

My first love is Paris, I lived there for a year, and have
gone back a few times. It stood to reason that my first romantic mystery story
should be set there.I’m familiar with
the city, and over the years little has changed in my perspective. The Louvre
now has Pei’s Pyramid at the entrance, many more buildings have been added, but
the age old charm is still very much there.

The charming cafes, the gardens, the historical buildings
are all as they were. It is easy to write as if sitting in a cafe and observing
life go by. That is especially true on the grandest boulevard of them all, the Champs Elyssee. It’s
easy to make the city come alive, it was my first love as a semi adult, and
continues to this day. A grand love affair with the city of lights.

The second book, set in Bath, England was a bit more
difficult, but I have visited twice, the second time, I spent a few days
getting to know the city. The historical significance is amazing, after all the
city is over two thousand years old, and dates back to the Romans.

Most information is available on line, but you need to be
careful to select only the key points that are relevant to the story, otherwise
it will turn out to be a travelogue within the story.You need the ‘scent’ of the city, what does
it feel like to walk the streets Jane Austen most probably walked. Stroll over
lead pipes that the Romans built,and
imagine who else followed in those same footsteps. Who else prayed in the
ancient Abbey, and who ate the Sally Lunn cakes, after all the restaurant dates
back to the 1620’s.

The third book in the hotel cities is set in Venice, a city
that has captured my heart and hasn’t let go.

It’s magic is potent, the architecture, history and art
sublime. Every step taken is an amazing adventure in the past. Follow the path
of Casanova, on which bridge did he wait in the cover of darkness for his
rendezvous with a lover? Who else walked in those same footsteps? Who crossed
the Bridge of Sighs-going from palace to prison?

A tourist trap to be sure, but there are places that few
tourists visit, side streets, small canals, churches, all it takes is a sense
of adventure and wonder, and a map. I get lost sometimes just crossing a couple
of streets, and in Venice there are many curvy and meandering little alleys
that will ultimately lead to water, and the getting
lost process is rather enjoyable. I speak from experience.

Even though I write contemporary romance stories, I love
history and art, and that is what I write, goes back to the beginning, write
what you know and love.

I have posted more extensive articles on the three cities on
my website on the travel page.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Because I work in the IT field I am often asked by a variety
of people from various backgrounds and career fields what I think is the best
option in terms of technology whether it is a choice of laptops, desktops,
mobile devices or even if you need one of each.For me the most important question to answer, or assessment to make, is what
is your work flow process?

As writers that can vary from those who still use paper and
pen to those who will only use technology, even if they don’t always remember
to backup their work.You know who those
“I don’t backup anything” people are because when their hard drive crashes and that
was the only place where their work “lived” their screams can be heard by everyone
they know.They have that panicked look
in their eyes, tone in their voice or email because for them the world just
ended.

So, choosing the best technology for your writing needs should
result in technology choices that provide what you need that technology to do
even if you don’t always remember to do what you need it to do – backups are a
great example.Recent advances in
technology have made it easier to get your digital needs met but these advances
have also made it easier for unethical and criminal elements to take advantage
of us, so choose wisely.

In order to properly asses your technology needs as a writer
it helps to understand the difference between hardware, software, online tools
and the cloud.These days all these
components interface with each other and sometimes the decision in one of these
areas will dictate your decision in another area.

If you’re looking at making some new technology purchases here
are some resources to help your cull through some options:

I realize the focus of this next link is college students
but hey, when you think about how college students behave – lots of writing,
working multiple jobs, getting very little sleep – there is some common ground
between them and us:

I also recommend going to brick and mortar locations if you’re
lucky enough to have them nearby because sometimes it helps to physically touch
and see what you’re considering to purchase, especially laptops.

So, get your geek on and get touchy feely in an appropriate
and legal way before making those technology decisions.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

On July 2nd, I shared about my trip to visit the LST 325 in Evansville IN. I mentioned Captain Bob Jornlin and his experience with the restoration and return of the LST 325 to the United States. Today, I'm pleased to share an interview with him. His book is called, Bringing Home A Hero, and is available on Amazon.com.

INTERVIEW
With

CAPTAIN BOB
JORNLIN, AUTHOR of ‘BRINGING BACK A HERO’

You have delivered over 600 talks regarding
your story with LST 325.

Tell how that differs from writing your book?

A big difference - A
talk is generally limited to 30 or 40 minutes. One cannot fully tell the many

fascinating, humorous, exciting, and dramatic happenings in a six month odyssey;
nor can one

describe the twenty-eight navy veterans with different war and life
experiences, their talents, and

personalities which made this voyage possible.

Your story deals with many different government
agencies,

from several countries.

Tell how you managed to keep moving forward
to get what you needed without anyone

officially backing you and your men.

If I tell you how I did this, I will have to kill you!
Seriously, first I had a group of really good men that were

breaking their
backs getting this old ship into some kind of running condition. That is except
one,

a Mr. M and we made him walk the plank, or a real life mutiny happened.
These men got the respect

of our Ambassador to Greece, Nickolas Burns. Then the
Greek Officers and men could not believe

how hard these men worked or was it
how hard they played on liberty after working hours were over!

I learned right
away as we have found out so recently – Senate and Congressmen have absolutely
no control

or say as to what the U.S. State Department does! I put my head down
and just continued pushing as if

I did not hear “NO.” Many of my crew, average
age 72, couldn’t hear either!

What was the most rewarding part of dealing with
these government officials?

What was the most exasperating?

Rewarding –
getting a letter (To Whom It May Concern) with a red wax seal on the bottom
from the Consul

General of the United States saying this ship was ours, and to
extend all courtesies and privileges to the Captain!Exasperating – having the U.S.
State Dept. stall us for a month to approve the paperwork for us to sail.

This
put us crossing the North Atlantic in the winter time.

You mentioned the older vets knew how to fix the
LST 325 and younger service men did not.

Most of my crew had spent three years on an LST in
WWII or the Korean war. The crew was split into

mainly two Depts., engineering
and deck. Some of these men (after their Navy service) continued on in

civilian
life as engineers, electricians, mechanics, etc. Several had made a career out
of the Navy serving

20 plus years. One ran/owned a 500 million dollar/yr.
company. One put the elevators in the space needle in

Seattle for the World’s
Fair. Every one was very successful, self starters, and smart.

Many people don’t realize you and the retired vets
fulfilled this expedition with your own money.

Everyone assumed the U.S.
Government helped finance this endeavor. We know now, they did not.

How much
money do you think each volunteer spent to bring the LST 325 home?

The plane ticket to Crete, Greece cost each $650.00.
Each kicked in $1600.00 for their share of the food and fuel estimated to sail
her home. Each one also kicked in $600.00 in a ‘slop fund’ which you could draw
from for beer, pop, candy, gum, etc. Everyone also had to pay out of their
pocket for anything spent off the ship on liberty. Many spent their own money
for tools and small parts for the ship. I will guess the average man spent an
additional $10.00 per day. Some spent more buying souvenirs, ice cream, and
beer!

You have recently given up your commission as
Captain. Please share with us your thoughts and reasons for this. How long have
you been Captain of the LST 325?

I was Captain for 14 years and two months! I had a
good life before the LST and thought it was time

to slide back into that former
time. We had a very good river pilot that came along, who took an interest in
the ship, and agreed to be Captain. My wife, Lois, and I both spent almost 100%
of our time dealing

with one problem after another. Many e-mails, phone calls,
and events seemed to always come at the same time as a family or friends outings.
We were expected to go to the ship’s affairs. We met many great people

we would
never have known without the ship. We have a second family.

Will the LST 325 be moving away from its dock in
Evansville, Indiana any time soon?

If so, where does it plan to go?

Yes, the LST takes a trip every fall up a river or
down. It will leave Evansville August 27 for Pittsburgh, PA. It will be open
for tours Sept. 2 thru 8. Then turn back down the Ohio River to Cincinnati
where it will be

open again for tours from Sept. 12 thru 16. Then it will
return to Evansville arriving Sept. 19, 2015. Evansville remains our home port.

How
does one go about visiting the LST 325?

We have a web sight, a very good one, at
www.lstmemorial.org. Presently it is open seven days a week in Evansville, IN.
Monday through Saturday from 10.00 AM to 4:00 PM. Sunday from 12:00 noon to
4:00 PM. Check website for winter hours.

The LST gives
a guided tour which takes about one hour; cost is $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for
kids ages 6 to 18. Family ticket is $20.00 (Mom, Dad, and two kids under 18)

Do you plan to write another book?

My wife
says NO. If I do, it will be about the
LST after arrival in Mobile to now.

Is
there anything you would like to share with us?

Yes – Buy the book please and
the final rewrite of the movie script has arrived in Los Angeles

at the producers.
Please keep your fingers crossed. Thank you for allowing me to tell everyone some
of the

Bursting
with anticipation, Hailey awaits the arrival of her first child. Then, one
morning, the unthinkable happens, turning her joy to grief.

When
her neighbor offers a startling suggestion, Hailey’s torn. Should she take a
chance? The offer is tempting, yet if something goes wrong, she’d be wide open
for more heartbreak.

This
standalone novella is a prequel to the previously released Christmas Carol. Both are set in the fictional
small town of Deerview, Wisconsin.

**EXCERPT FROM HAILEY'S CHANCE: WILL BABY MAKE 3**

CHAPTER ONE - JUNE 27

Will this day ever end?

Hailey Burke shifted her weight behind the checkout counter at Deerview
Foods and turned to the next customer. At sight of the tight tank top, short
shorts, and tats running up and down the arms of her former classmate, Lynn Manning,
Hailey flashed a welcoming smile.

Thinking back to their high school senior year, when Billy had tripped
the fire alarm to get out of taking a math test, Hailey resisted a chuckle. He sure
was a character. It’s a wonder he’d graduated with the rest of them.

Five years had passed since then, yet nothing much had changed. Enough
tourists drifted into town to keep businesses going, but not enough to make anyone
rich. Jobs might be scarce, but Deerview was where Hailey was born and would
stay, alongside her hubby, Ryan.

“How’s it going, Lynn?”
Hailey pretended not to notice the home pregnancy test sliding past her on the
conveyor belt between the frozen pizza and the cold cereal.

“Same old, same old,” Lynn said, her eyes lingering on Hailey’s belly. “Say,
aren’t you about due? How much longer?”

“A month, give or take a few weeks.” At the thought of finally seeing and
touching her baby, Hailey’s heart soared and her smile widened.

“Looks like you can hardly wait.”

“You’ve got that right. It’s no fun carrying this extra load, but it will
all be worth it.”

“Your child will be so lucky.”

“No, we’re the lucky ones.”

At Lynn’s
wistful look, Hailey felt a pang of pity. If Lynn’s test proved positive, life would not
be easy for her. She’d get small support from her single mother, who existed in
a drunken haze, nor knucklehead Billy, the likely father.

This book is available for Amazon Kindle purchase, or borrow from Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited at